Fuse clip tightener



Feb. 19,4 193s. y F FAM; 1,991,901l

FUSE CLIP TIGHTENER Filed April 19, 1934 Cil Patented Feb. 19, 1935 lia'rizirr OFFICE" FUSE C Llr TIGHTENER Fred G. Falle, Cleveland, Ohio, assignorto The t Leonard Electric Manufacturing Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Company,

Application April 19, 1934, Serial No. 721,350

claiml.

, l'his invention relates to a fuse clip tightener which may be readily inserted on and detached from` the fuse clip while the clip is mounted in its operating position.`

A principal object is to provide a fuse tightener A in which the tightening pressure applied to the clip is uniformly distributed and most effectively applied and in which the tightening force inherent in the tightener is muy utilized and unes of weakness are eliminated.

Other objects ofthe present invention are to provide a clip of this character which may be readily installed on the fuse clip by passing the same over the free ends of the clip arm/s, which will readily assume a proper operating position, in which the fuse may be readily inserted and removed from the clip and which is fully ventilated so that heating and subsequent deterioration of the spring action of the tightener is eliminated.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification wherein reference is made to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fuse and clip combination with a fuse tightener of the present invention installed on the fuse clip;

Fig. 1a is a view complementary to Fig. l and is taken on the line la-la of Fig'. 2.

and installed tightener illustrated in Fig. 1, with the fuse removed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the clips and the tightener installed with the fuse removed Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of tightener;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a clip with the tightener of Fig. 4 installed; l

Fig. 6 is a side. elevation of a clip and knife contact fuse with a modified form of fuse tightener installed; and v v Fig. '7 is anend elevation illustrated in Fig. 6.'

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, a fuse 1 having ferrule ends 2 is shown mounted in the usual fuse clips 3. each of which,` in turn, is secured. on a suitable insulating base 4 and connected to conductors. such as indicated at 5. 'I'he clips of this type are usually in the form of a metal strip formed into yU-shape to provide a base portion 6 and-resilient arms 7, adapted to receive the fuse ends therebeof the combination tween. The base portion is providedwith a hole through which extends a screw 8 for securing the .'clip firmly against the face of'the conductor 5 andto the base 4. Thelfuse may be inserted read (Cl. 20G-134) which spring apart consequent-upon movement of' the fuse thereinto transversely of its axis. Since the arms 7 of the clip are secured only at one end to the base portion and furthermore since the 'metal from which they are formed does not have a high degree of resiliency and soon becomes weakened `by insertion and removal of the fuse, it is necessary to tighten the clip more firmly about the end of the fuse so as to insure a better contact and eliminate vibration and heating. For accomplishing this purpose the tightener illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 may be used.

In its preferred form, the tightener comprises a frame having side members 11 Vand end members 12, the frame being receivable onto the clip over the free ends 9 of the clip arms. 'I'he side meinbers are sufficiently rigid so that force applied to their ends will not tend to warp them out of shape longitudinally along the outer portions of the clip arms 9. In order to draw the side frame members 11 firmly in place and insure substantially uniform contact between the side frame members and the outer surfaces of the clip arms, the end frame members l2 of the tightener are formed of springmetal and are preferably arcuate so as to define a surface concave toward the fuse. The side frame members l1 each protrudes longitudii nally of the fuse axis beyond the longitudinal edges of the arms 7 at both ends. Corresponding protruding ends ot the two side frame members are connected to the end frame members 12 so that the end frame members 12 do not come in contact with the edges of the clip arms. 'Ihe end frame member 12 nearer the longitudinal center of the fuse, does not engage the fuse but surrounds the same in spaced relation thereto. The end frame members are preferably so arranged that they do not engage the base 4 or any portion of the clip or conductors connected to the clip. As

Since one of the members 12 is arranged at each r end of the members 1l, there is no tendency for the members 1'1 torock away from the surface of the arms 7 about either end of the members 11, but instead, the force of thespring end frame members' -12 is uniformly distributed along the ner and at the most elcient location. .t

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, a similar tightener made of spring wire is illustrated, the ends of the wires ypreferably being secured together by a small sleeve 14, so that the entire force of the spring and frame members 15 may be applied to the clip. If desired, .the wire ends may be secured by spot welding so as to form a unitary structure but it is more difficult to provide an accurate surface which -will properly engage the clip arms.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, a fusehaving a knife end contact 16 instead of a ferrule contact is illustrated and is received in the usual knife receiving clip 17. 'I'he tightener for use in connection with a knife clip may be similar ln all respects to those described above with the addition of some abutment means for retaining the tightener in the proper operating position. A'

convenient means for accomplishing this result and permitting the use of the standard straight edge knife clip may comprise bridges 18 connect-I ed to the spring end frame members 19 of the' clip, the bridges 18 being so positoned relative to the free ends of the clip that they will form abutments which engagethe base-20 of the clip when the side frame members 21 of the tightener are in engagement with the clip arms near their free ends. Since the pressure of the tightener is effectively applied and the tightener is spaced so as to be readily ventilated, no heating vresults which would have a deleterious effect on the resiliency of the end frame members. In the forms illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the side frame members themselves and the bowed configuration of the arms of the fuse clip provide the abutment means corresponding to the bridges 18.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim:

1. In a fuse and fuse clip combination, a tightener comprising a frame having side frame members and spring end frame members and being receivable over the free ends of the clip arms,-

the side members of the frame engaging/the outer surfaces of opposite clip arms respectively near the free ends of the arms and extending longitudinally of the fuse axis along the clip arms and protruding beyond the edges of the arms, the said spring end frame members connecting corresponding protruding ends of the side members and operable to yieldably draw said side members firmly against the clip arms, and abutment means on said frame cooperable. with the clip arms to maintain the frame in operating position on the-clip arms.

2. In a fuse and fuse clip combination, a tightener comprising parallel spaced side frame members and spring end frame members rigidly connected to the ends of the side frame members and forming therewith a frame defining a central passage of suiflcient'size to accommodate the passage of the free ends ofthe fuse clip arms therethrough when the tightener is moved over the free ends of the clip armswhile the end frame members are disposed toward the base of the clip, said side frame members being movable relatively apart and yieldably urged together by the end frame members for engaging the outer end portions of the free ends'of the clip when the tightener is mounted thereon, and said tightener being detachably held in operating position on the clip solely by engagement of the tightener and outer side faces of the clip.

3. In a fuse and fuse clip combination, a tightener comprising parallel spaced side frame members and spring end frame members rigidly connected to .the ends of the side frame members and forming therewith a frame, the side frame members of said frame being. engageable with the outer portions of the free ends of the clip arms, said end frame members being substantially continuously and uniformly arcuate for substantially their entire length, whereby the spring effect of substantially the entire length thereof is effective onthe side frame members and in a direction normal to the surface to be engaged by the side frame members.

4. In a fuse and fuse clip combination', a tight'- ener comprising parallel spaced side frame members and arcuate spring end frame members rigidly connected to the ends of the side frame members and forming therewith a frame defining a central passage of suillcient size to'acco'mmodate -the passage of the fuse clip arms 4therethrough when the tightener is moved bodily over the free ends of the clip arms with the end iframer members disposed to define a surface convex toward the base of the clip, and said side frame members being movable relatively apart and yieldably urged together by the end frame members for engaging the outer end portions of the free ends of the clip when the tightener is mounted thereon with the end frame members so disposed.

5. In a fuse and fuse clip combination, a tightener comprising parallel spaced side frame members and arcuate spring end frame members rigidly connected at their ends to corresponding ends of the side frame members and forming Vtherewith a frame defining a Acentral passage of suilicient size to accommodate the passage of the free ends of the clip arms therethrough when the tightener is moved bodily over the free ends ofthe clip arms with the end frame members disposed toward the base of the clip, said end frame members defining an arcuate surface concave toward the free end of the clip, said side frame members being yieldably urged toward each other by the end framemembers for yieldably engaging the outer end portions of the free ends of the clip arms when the tightener is mounted thereon, and the arcuate end frame member nearer the longitudinal. center of the fuse associated with the clip passing around beneath the surface dened by the fuse while the fuse end is mounted in the clip.

6. As an article of manufacture, a fuse clip Vtightener comprising a generally rectangular frame or spring metal of integral side frame and end frame members, defining a large central opening, said end frame members being spaced from each other a distance greater, than the length, parallel to the fuse axis, of the fuse clip with which it is to be associated, and being curved for substantiallyl their entire length to dispose the side frame members closer together and lto form arcuate spring arms for moving the side frame members relatively together, whereby the tightener can be moved with the end frame members foremost, over the free ends of the fuse lclip arms and the side frame members sprung apart to pass over said free ends and yieldabiy engage the outer surfaces of said free ends of the clip arms for urging themi relatively together. 

